


Don't Get Too Close to The Sun

by rainbowtourmaline



Series: Zutara Week 2017 - My Favourite Things [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Awkward Fighting, Awkwardness, Banter, Childishness, Crushes, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Humor, Keeping Rocks From Crushing You, Mutual Pining, Prince Zuko is a Tsundere, Protective Zuko, Season 2, Season 2 Fanfiction, Season/Series 02, Shirtless Zuko, Snarky Katara, Training, Tsunderes, Winning Over Future In-Laws by Accident, Zutara Week, Zutara Week - Icarus, Zutara Week 2017, awkward crushes, protective sokka, season 3 references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-12-07 09:14:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11620512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowtourmaline/pseuds/rainbowtourmaline
Summary: Zuko joins the gaang to help his injured uncle recover from Azula’s attack in The Chase. Katara sees a different side to him than she’s seen before and she doesn’t like it.





	1. Momma Once Told Me...

Katara’s mother told her about a boy named Icarus. Icarus and his father escaped a labyrinth of their own creation by making their own set of wings made from feathers and wax. Kya told Katara that Icarus’s father warned him about flying too close to the sun, but Katara couldn’t remember why this bit of advice was so important…

“GET AWAY FROM US!” in the present Katara was tempted to follow the advice of an angry, upset Zuko and high tail it out of there with her brother, Aang and Toph. But being the kind of person who couldn’t shut out that little voice inside that said ‘don’t turn your back on the people who need you’, Katara couldn’t just listen to the banished prince and tried to reach out to the vulnerable boy.

“Zuko, I can help!” Katara said as she approached him gently, reaching her hand out to him.

“Leave!” but unfortunately, Zuko was in no mood to listen. He raised his arm to bend a string of fire to get the gaang to back off and the group of heroes were ready to dodge, until a wrinkly old hand grabbed Zuko.

“Let those who love you… help you…” Iroh wheezed before he fell back into unconsciousness.

“Uncle!” While the prince was preoccupied with his ailing uncle, Katara moved onto the old man’s other side to get a better look at him. “I said leave him alone!”

“Zuko, I’m a waterbender.” Katara said calmly as she covered her hand in a cool, clean glove of water. “I’m a healer. _Please_ let me have a look at your Uncle, I can save him if you let me treat his injuries.”

Zuko gave a cat like hiss Katara would have found hilarious if she wasn’t trying to help this stupid feline.

“Katara! Are you crazy? Get away from him!” Sokka shouted. “That firebender is gonna shish-kebab your head if you get too close to them! Just leave the old guy if he doesn’t want our help, Prince Zuko’s the one that has to live with the consequences if he dies!”

“Sokka!” Aang and Toph gasped, making the Water Tribe boy answer “it’s true!” as a retort to their accusatory looks.    

Zuko was snarling, gritting his teeth and mumbling “I can’t believe this” until that fiery rage in his golden eyes had visibly calmed.  

“If he dies, I will never forgive you.” Wow! What a Prince Charming!

“He’s _not_ gonna die because I’m that _good_.” Katara scoffed, taking private pleasure from the flabbergasted look on Zuko’s face. “Help me open his shirt.”

* * *

 

Katara saved Iroh’s life, but he was still in bad shape. Katara insisted Iroh get plenty of rest and covered him up in bandages to make sure his wounds didn’t get infected. She was thankful that she had bought some supplies at a nearby village for emergencies like these, as she found a cream that helped with burn wounds.

“Must you keep touching him!” Zuko snapped as Katara moved to treat her patient, shoulders tense and hand clenched into fists. “You say he needs bed rest and yet you keep badgering him to rub him down with that smelly grease!”

Katara rolled her eyes. Yugoda told her about patients and their protective relatives, but this took the seal-jerky cake! Zuko refused to join the gaang for supper or get a good night’s rest, just so he could prowl around his Uncle’s sickbed like some guard seal-dog. It would have been cute if Zuko were actually a guard seal-dog and let her get on with her work!

“Zuko, please…” Zuko took some time to stop glaring at Katara to turn to his Uncle, the anger and frustration completely drained from his face. Whoa. Zuko actually did look like a seal-dog in that moment, a puppy seal-dog! “Let her help. The cream helps with the pain.”

Zuko frowned as he unclenched his fists and lowered his shoulders.

“Please… continue.” Zuko sighed. Katara slowly edged towards Uncle, afraid that she may startle Zuko if she made any sudden movements, but the boy no longer acted as a gatekeeper between her and her patient. He would still stand watch while Katara continued Iroh’s treatment, but he loudly didn’t protest her methods anymore. It wasn't an apology, but it was nice to be able to treat Iroh in peace. 

‘I guess even Zuko has a soft spot for his family.’ Katara shrugged. ‘Doesn’t mean he is less of a jerk though.’

* * *

 

Katara heard rumours about this drink called cactus juice – just one sip of the stuff could make you see things and act really weird. She thought Zuko may have had a sip because one week after he and his Iroh had been staying with the gaang as unexpected guests, _she found him doing the laundry_.

“What are you doing?” she cried as she watched Zuko rinse Sokka’s tunic with his rather built, muscular arms. He had opted to go shirtless that morning. I mean, not that had Katara noticed or anything... 

Not breaking Katara’s eye contact, Zuko slowly moved towards the clothes line to hang Sokka’s tunic with a very stern look and grunted:

“I repay my debts.”  

But what he said next made him break eye contact with Katara and caused his cheeks to turn a little red:

 “I left yours and the blind girl’s drawers for you both to do in order to protect your modesty.”

“Surprised you didn’t go in there yourself!” Sokka shouted, with the biggest smirk one his face while he lazily sunbathed. “Careful Katara, Fire Nation men are passionate!”

“I'LL SHOW YOU PASSIONATE!”

* * *

 

“Good job Aang! You’re making steady progress!” Katara patted Aang on the back as they returned from waterbending practice. Glowing with pride, Aang thanked his Sifu and announced that he would do some airbending practice, pumped by another successful training session. He proceeded to do a variety of acrobatic moves with his airbending staff, looking like a happy and graceful bear kangaroo.

Little did this kangaroo know that there was a big cat prowling around.

“Your stance is off.” Aang squealed as he turned to face a rather tall and imposing Zuko. “Spread your feet apart a little more. It will make it harder for the enemy to knock you down.”

Aang had stars in his eyes as Zuko offered these stern and somber words of wisdom to him.

“Actually in this style of airbending having a firm stance isn’t important.” Aang told Zuko. “You need to keep loose and light on your feet to avoid enemies! But thanks Sifu Hotman, I’ll keep that advice in mind for firebending practice!”

With a cheeky little grin Aang ran off to practice elsewhere, leaving a confused Zuko in the dust.

“I’m not your Sifu!” Zuko huffed and crossed his arms, glaring in the opposite direction. Iroh, on one of his recommended daily walks waddled onto the scene, chuckled and added his own smart remark:

“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

“Be quiet Uncle!” Zuko snarled as he escorted the old man to his next destination.

Katara stood there, mouth agape at the whole scenario she just witnessed with her own eyes.

Zuko. Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, who was trying to capture Aang – just offered the boy some helpful advice to defend himself against his enemies!

Katara checked her drinking supply to make sure she hadn’t drunk any cactus juice!


	2. Mama Knows Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katara rolled her eyes at him. “Sokka, it was an accident. I’m fine.”
> 
> “I know, but I still don’t like the way he was looking at you.”
> 
> Katara snorted.
> 
> “You don’t like guys looking at me in general.”
> 
> “That’s because they’re all jerks sis, remember that!”
> 
> “Yeah, yeah.” Katara said. “Relax Sokka, Zuko is as cold as ice for a Firebender. I don’t think I’ve got anything to worry about with him.”
> 
> “That’s what I like to hear!”

Zuko was definitely drunk on cactus juice and the fact he got up at 5:00 AM in the morning without even one yawn escaping his lips was proof of that.

“Why has he come with us?” Sokka whispered to Katara, his peepers keeping a close eye on the banished prince. Sokka held tightly onto his supplies, his soldiers were tense and only turned his head a little bit to make it look like he was deep in conversation with his sister. “Doesn’t he know he’s just gonna make the trip to the market awkward and painful for everyone involved?”

“Well why don’t you go tell him that Sokka so I can shop in peace.” Katara dry panned as she kept her gaze straight ahead – wanting to ignore the fact Zuko was there.

“Do you want me to die? Zuko may be less evil now without that ponytail, but I’m not messing with him!” Sokka’s jaw nearly dropped when he saw Zuko firebending and training with his swords shirtless by the river – even Katara had to admit she was impressed by his skills and was actually surprised he had lost to them so many times. Plus, concentrating on his skills made it easier to not focus on his nice body…

Gosh darn it she hated herself and her teenage hormones.

“What’s wrong with ponytails, ponytail?” Katara smirked, yanking on her brother’s chain to distract herself.

“That joke got tired a couple of episodes ago Katara, and you won’t find it so funny when Zuko finally snaps!”

“MOVE!”

As if Sokka had predicted Zuko’s sudden yet inevitable betrayal – the prince’s loud, booming voice had triggered a survival mechanism in Katara as it brought back memories of how things used to be with the banished prince when he was hot on his pursuit for Aang, but this time Katara was ready for him as she squatted into the most effective, hard to knock down battle stance Sifu Pakku had taught her. She wanted to water whip Zuko in the head and run off with her brother to warn the others that the banished prince had finally started showing his true colours again, only to be caught off guard by the sight of rocks falling down.

Sokka and Katara froze from the shock as they fell like meteorites and made the ground shake, before a large, brick-like body crashed into them and rolled them away from the falling rubble. Katara could hear her brother make an ‘oomph’ sound as Zuko’s body collided with him – but Katara hardly felt a thing when Zuko cupped the back of her head and pulled her close, making sure to roll his body in a way that would make sure only him and Sokka would feel the impact of the fall when they escaped their would-be cave coffin.

It was weird.

Really weird.

“What are you doing?” Katara cried, looking up at the pair of golden eyes that prowled over her and her brother’s body.  She didn’t like that determined, stubborn glint in them.

“Keeping rocks from crushing you.” Zuko said, glowering down at her.

Katara’s cheeks turned red at the intensity of the moment, so she quickly turned her head to look away from him.

“Okay. I’m not crushed. You can get off me now.” she said.  

“Yeah, get off my sister!” Sokka screeched. “Or I will do something worse than crushing you with rocks!”

Zuko blinked – puzzled as to why Sokka would threaten him after he saved their lives... Until he realised that he was almost straddling Katara. Sokka was underneath him too, but had his back turned to the banished prince and Katara was clearly pressed chest to chest against him in a way Zuko had not noticed until five seconds ago.

“AH!” Zuko cried as he rolled away and scurried back from the Water Tribe siblings. “I- that wasn’t my intention-”

“Sure it wasn’t, _Sparky_.” Sokka seethed as he dusted himself off. “Because Fire nation guys _never_ have that kind of ‘intention’ with Water Tribe women!”

Zuko’s jaw dropped in shock and his hands turned into fists. “That’s not fair.”

“So’s stalking me, my sister and my best friend for _weeks_ but hey – life’s not fair is it buddy?” There was a tense, silent exchange between the two boys before Sokka moved towards his sister to offer his hand. Katara frowned, taking it and dusting herself off too. “C’mon Katara – I think we should go to the market alone today. We’ll manage without any help. We always have.”

Katara would never admit this in a million years but she felt very safe and protected when Sokka put his arm around her, but that didn’t stop her from turning back to look at Zuko as they left the cave they hadn’t realised that they had wandered into. She’d tease Sokka for being overprotective later, as she always did, but when she saw Zuko sadly staring into the ground with vacant eyes – before he sighed and brushed himself off before beginning his walk of shame back to camp – she got another weird feeling in her stomach. 

She hadn’t felt repulsed by Zuko’s touch and she almost felt…

No. That couldn’t be it.

“You okay sis?” Sokka asked as soon as they were out of earshot from Zuko.

“Yeah.” Katara said.

“You sure?”

“Sokka, it was an accident.” Katara rolled her eyes at him. “I’m fine.”

“I know, but I still don’t like the way he was looking at you.”

Katara snorted.

“You don’t like guys looking at me in general.”

“That’s because they’re all jerks sis, remember that!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Katara said. “Relax Sokka, Zuko is as cold as ice for a Firebender. I don’t think I’ve got anything to worry about with him.”

“That’s what I like to hear!”

* * *

 

 For once Sokka and Katara had a peaceful market trip without any Fire Nation soldiers coming to ruin the day, no epic battles and no wacky adventures to distract them from their main objective. Katara secretly thought she should go shopping alone with her brother more often – but she kept that sappy thought to herself as she’d cherished the fun and adventure of Team Avatar.

“Iroh, where’s Toph?” Iroh wanted Katara to start calling him Uncle, but felt that the term of endearment was a little odd considering they were supposed to be enemies. She ignored the disappointment in his eyes. “I’ve got some medicine to take care of her nits.”

“I put Toph in a time-out in the backyard.” Iroh said as he took a sip of tea, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“You what?!” Sokka cried.

“A time-out.” Iroh said. “She was taking her teasing with Aang a little too far – so I thought she could use some space to think about what she said.”

“You. Put Toph. In a time-out?” Katara grinned ear-to-ear, making a mental note to ask Iroh how he did that.

“Children need love and firm but fair discipline to grow into a healthy, happy adult.” Iroh said. “She’ll thank me when she’s older.”

“I have to go see this.” Katara said, grabbing Toph’s medicine. “Sokka, start dinner.”

“Why me?!”

“Because I did not give you those cooking lessons just so you could forget them.” Katara stuck her tongue out as she left the abandoned house they were staying in. She ran all the way to the tree she knew Toph liked to sit under, giggling the entire way until she saw Toph there with the last person she wanted to see. “Barnacles!”

Katara gasped and covered her mouth as she hid behind the other side of the tree. She thanked the stars that Zuko and Toph hadn’t noticed her.

“And then she says – Toph, how could you get into such a state! Don’t you know lice breed like wildfire in dirty hair!” Toph snorted and crossed her arms as Zuko sat there patiently listening to his young charge, gently rubbing what looked like brown dirt into Toph’s hair. “Ha! The jokes on her, lice don’t care if your hair is clean or dirty!”

“I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she finds out you got rid of my lice, that will show her!” Steam came out of Katara’s nose and ears when Toph said that. “And Uncle Iroh too!”

“You sound just like my sister when she was your age.” Zuko chuckled as he reached for a dish of water to wash the brown paste off of Toph’s head. “She didn’t like being told what to do, even if it was for her own good.”

“Don’t compare me to her.” Toph growled. “I bet she had a better childhood than I did, even though she turned out to be a grumpy princess. I bet she got to do whatever she want, whenever she wanted.”

The way Zuko frowned at Toph’s statement really got Katara’s attention – he was acting like a concerned parent.

“That’s not always a good thing.”

“Sure it is!” Toph grinned, imaging this perfect childhood. “No one telling you what to do, how to think or act because you’re a certain way – and being able to go wherever the heck you want! Azula needs to lighten up and realise how good she has it! Instead of chasing after us and nearly killing Twinkle Toes.”

“I thought you didn’t like him now.” Zuko said.

“I don’t like it when he tells me I should forgive mum and dad.” Toph frowned, sitting still as the water poured over her head. Katara would have to ask Zuko, at a less awkward time, how he got Toph to be so calm with having her hair washed. “He’s… the first person who’s ever believed in me. He’s the first person I think who has ever actually liked me for _me_ , you know? But that doesn’t mean he _knows_ what I’ve been through.”

Zuko smiled sadly as he rinsed Toph’s hair of the brown mush and started drying her wet hair.

“Sometimes it’s hard for people with nice, normal families to understand.” Katara’s heart skipped a beat as Toph softly turned her head to ‘look’ at Zuko.

“Were your parents mean to you too?”

Zuko stared at the little girl sitting in front of him and Katara could see he was debating whether he should tell her the truth.

The next answer completely, and utterly broke Katara’s heart.

“My father is mean… but fair. Because he had high expectations of me.” Zuko said in a way that made him sound like he was mourning a family he still desperately wanted to be a part of and Katara had to stop herself from crying. “You’re lucky because you have my Uncle and Katara, who are kind _and_ fair.” 

Toph frowned and Katara could see from the way her forehead creased that she was resisting the urge to hug him or acknowledge his pain.

“… Zuko, thanks for washing my hair.” In Toph-speak that meant ‘I love you, but I can’t say that out loud because I don’t wanna look like a wimp.’ The little girl hugged her knees and ‘looked’ back at the ground. “I know I stink sometimes.”

“You’re welcome.” Zuko smiled. “And that’s not stink, it’s a healthy, earthy scent.”

The wide grin on Toph's face was so beautiful and honestly- Katara could have kissed those chubby cheeks if she wasn't mean to be hiding. 

“That’s what I keep telling everyone!”

Katara nearly jumped out of her body when she felt Sokka’s hand on her shoulder, and she looked at him to confirm that the conversation she had witnessed had been real. Sokka’s face said that she hadn’t imagined the exchange at all and it crushed her how her brother shared her concern for the Fire Nation Prince because now that meant that Zuko was a flesh and blood human being like them and that his childhood had royally sucked.

Katara and Sokka had their suspicions that life behind the royal palace wasn’t so great from the conversations they heard Zuko and Iroh having in the next room, but what could honestly have been worse than being trapped in your home against your will? What could mess up Azula and Zuko so that they would become the teens they were now?

Katara didn’t want to think about it.

“Hey Sokka, Katara – Zuko doesn’t think I smell!”

 “Well maybe in the Fire Nation they all stink too!” Sokka put on a big smirk, hands on hips as he rushed towards Toph. “I know Zuko gets all sweaty after training!”

“Maybe if you trained a little more you’d stink too.” Zuko shot back, glaring at the Water Tribe boy and looking unperturbed by the fact he suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

“You don’t need to train if you’ve got my trusty old boomerang and brains to go with it!”

“What brains?”

“Haha.” Sokka glared back at Zuko, until the Fire Nation Prince realised that a gobsmacked Katara was standing less than a foot away from her brother. Katara couldn’t understand why she didn’t like the way Zuko was looking at her again, even though he looked embarrassed and what some might say apologetic for what happened earlier. The Water Tribe girl blushed as the prince rose from the little stool he had been sitting on to wash Toph’s hair, looking at the ground while he scratched the back of his neck.

“Katara…” Zuko started, the use of her name feeling foreign and strange in his tongue but he moved past the discomfort. “I owe you an apology.”  

“What, because Sokka went into brother berserk mode?” Katara smirked at the way the Water Tribe boy bristled.

“Hey! I was protecting your honour! And he was practically lying on top of you!” Sokka cried, while Toph went ‘oohh’ in a fashion that was expected of a 12-year-old.

 “That’s usually what happens when someone is keeping rocks from crushing you.” Katara chuckled at the way a vein was popping out of Sokka’s head, but Zuko interrupted the childish banter between the siblings with a loud cough.

“Nonetheless, I’m sorry… for making you feel uncomfortable. I’ll be more careful next time.” Katara gawked at Zuko like he had grown an extra limb. “What?”

“Zuko, is that really you? Are you dying or something?” Katara asked, genuinely concerned for his well-being.

“What would make you think that?!” Zuko shouted, his cheeks glowing red and steam coming out of his nose.

“I’ve just never, ever heard you use the word sorry in a sincere way until now.” Katara said, still looking at Zuko as if she was examining a patient. The prince blinked as she approached him. “I mean out of all the bad things you’ve done to us, apologising for an accident seems like an odd thing to do…”

This finally flipped the switch in Zuko’s head and he started acting more like his old self. Zuko turned his head away so the fire coming out of his nose wouldn’t burn anyone and turned to walk in the other direction.

“Fine! I don’t care if you accept my apology! I’m leaving!” Sokka grimaced – obviously unconvinced by Zuko’s rage as his lips quivered and his eyes refused to make contact with anyone. “If my uncle asks, I’m going hunting.”

Everyone stood there silently watching Zuko disappear into the forest, until Toph turned to glare at Katara, her hands clenched.

“He’s lying Katara.”

“I think she knows that Toph.” Sokka said, patting her on the shoulder to calm her rage. This did not help Katara one bit.

“Whatever. It’s fine. I don’t care.”

* * *

 

She did care. She cared a lot. Zuko was driving Katara _insane_.

“Hey… so about what I said in the caves.” Sokka scratched the back of his neck as he carefully approached an armed and dangerous Fire Nation Prince… cutting potatoes.  

“Forget about it.” Zuko said, not shifting his focus on the task at hand but looking like he wished it was Sokka’s ponytail he was brutally slicing off without mercy.

“No, I mean it…” Sokka said, putting his hand on his heart. “You… haven’t always been a good guy. And I don’t want my sister to get hurt the way other Water Tribe women have been hurt before, so when you landed on top of Katara, my big brother instincts kicked in and I overreacted. I’m sorry.”

Zuko’s slicing got less aggressive.

“But thinking about it now, I realised that you were trying to protect her too. So… thanks.”  

Sokka winced at the way his apology came out and Katara was going to tease her brother to death about it later, but Zuko stopped peeling potatoes and looked at her brother.

“So…” Sokka said. “Wanna… Do an activity together?”

Zuko blinked at Sokka’s silly grin, before rising from his seat.

“There’s a big saber-tooth moose lion that could feed all of us for a good while… Wanna help me capture it?”

Katara groaned from her hiding spot at the way Sokka was so easy to please.

“Sure! But I warn you – your manly pride is going to take a nose dive when I catch that moose lion in half the time it took for you to find it! No! A quarter of the time.”

“I’m sure you will.” Zuko smirked as they both disappeared into the forest again.

“You’re cocky now but remember, my sister and I found Aang first!”

“That was just pure luck!” Zuko hissed, but he didn’t let that one comment ruin their surprisingly pleasant hunting trip.

Slowly, but surely Zuko had become chummy with every member of the group – except her.

Zuko had started helping Iroh teach Aang how to fire bend without fear, taking Toph on ‘life changing field trips’, going on regular hunting trips with Sokka much to Aang’s dismay and helped with the chores when Katara wasn’t there.

But when Katara tried to talk to him or interact with him in a positive manner – he gave short answers or went into the next room to escape from her.   

Bad childhood or no bad childhood, Katara decided that she hated Zuko all over again and purposefully left his clothes out of the laundry basket and in the dirt – much to the prince’s ire.

“I swear to Agni peasant-”

“What?” Katara raised an elegant eyebrow at him. “You’ll save me from rocks crushing me?”

She didn’t hold her laughter in when Zuko’s blush went all the way down to his neck and he left the scene with a frustrated scream and fire coming out of his mouth.

“Girls are crazy!”

* * *

 

Katara enjoyed the one-side banter sessions for a long time, hitting Zuko below the belt for the inanest things. She hoped that before long, Zuko would give up his goody two shoes act and would return the favour someday. She liked their relationship better when she could kick his ass without feeling bad, just like she did at the North Pole.  

The thought of their relationship returning to a simple, antagonistic one warmed Katara more than any campfire could. Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said for Iroh, the source of all her trouble. But being the kind-hearted person, she didn’t hold it against him and moved to put a blanket over the shivering, sleeping old man who was slowly but surely recovering from Azula’s attack.

Unfortunately, Zuko beat her to it and reminded her of the moral of her mother’s story when it was unfortunately too late to take her advice.

The Fire Nation Prince slowly, but gracefully emerged from the shadows of the night like a big bear-panther to wrap a warm blanket around his Uncle Iroh. Katara expected Zuko to let that be that, and continue with his own dastardly and princely business the rest of the night but that evil boy couldn’t let her rest in peace. Zuko sat by his uncle, hardly noticing she was there as he wrapped an arm around the old man.

“Lu-Ten? Is that you?” Zuko blinked owlishly at Iroh’s hopeful, pleading voice.

Katara leaned forward, wondering who Lu-Ten was and why Iroh was so desperate to see him. Her heart beat quickened – thinking about the ways Zuko could react. Would he bring a half-asleep Iroh back to reality or would he handle this in the practical, methodical way he approached many tasks?  

The tension was killing her.

Zuko moved his lips to speak.

“Yes father.” Zuko finally answered, bringing the old man closer to him. “I’m here.”

Katara gasped when Iroh shed a tear of relief.

“I’m glad.” Iroh said, reaching out for Zuko as he slept. “Stay with me a little while son? Just a little while, before you have to go back?”

Katara swallowed her own saliva, the sound of crickets filling in the silence before Zuko said the next words:  

“As you wish, father.” he smiled melancholily, wrapping the blanket more tightly around his uncle and not realising that with those simple words he had completely captured Katara without meaning to – body and soul.

‘Aww…’ Katara thought, smiling and hugging herself. ‘He’d be so sweet if he were a normal boy. He’s also kind of cute when that scowl is not stuck to his face...’

But then Katara realised, Zuko was a normal boy. A boy she wasn’t supposed to think was cute, but a normal boy nonetheless.

Being in close vicinity to Zuko without the threat of being kidnapped or having to fight for her family and her freedom, made her realise that he had been has lost and frightened as Sokka, Aang or even Jet had been because of this terrible war that had been forced upon them LL. That he was struggling with his own battles but could be kind, compassionate and care for others when he wasn’t blinded by his own ambitions, his country’s pride and arrogance or a family that she could only imagine was as cruel and unfeeling as his sister.

It was like he became a different person.  

“What are you staring at peasant?” Katara’s heart stopped when she heard the voice of this person she was thinking about acknowledge her presence by the fire, glared at her while she was hugging her legs.

But the glare didn’t bother her though, because she had seen a different and softer side to him.

‘Oh no…’

And that’s when she realised she had flown too close to the sun.

“Nothing.” Katara blushed, refusing to look Zuko in the eye and beating herself up for not realising the danger she was in sooner. “Tell Sokka I’ll be by the river practicing.”

She ran there - she needed to be with her element, to feel close to her mother, and to apologise to Kya for not listening to her advice.

* * *

 

Iroh woke up from a wonderful dream to see the verbal exchange between Zuko and Katara. He smiled at the way Zuko’s scowl completely disappeared as he watched the Water Tribe girl walk away until she was out of sight, looking disappointed that she wasn’t staying.

“Having a beautiful night, Prince Zuko?” Zuko’s pupils turned into slits at the shock of his Uncle waking up right when he as in the middle of cuddling him, but Iroh had the mercy to not laugh at his nephew for being a secretly affectionate person and he treasured whatever form of intimacy the boy would offer to his loved ones as he knew the boy was fragile.

“No…” he scowled, breaking away from his uncle to glare at the ground – much to Iroh’s disappointment. “I think that Water Tribe girl thinks I’m ugly. She hates me.”

“Her name is Katara, Prince Zuko.” Iroh corrected him.

Zuko brushes and growls “I know what her name is! I just don’t care!”

Iroh rolled his eyes at how his nephew could sometimes be childish and stubborn.

“Then why do you care if she thinks you’re ugly?”

“Because…” Zuko hugged his legs to his chest as he really thought about it. “We fight all the time now, she’s always looking at me even when she thinks I can’t see her and her cheeks become flushed when I’m around, like she’s scared of me or disgusted by me. It makes me… it makes me feel bad. Especially when I _tried_ so hard to get along with her.”

 Iroh wanted to breath smoke out of his nose and say “ZUKO” with his hands clasped together in a prayer that would allow Agni to grant him some sanity.

“Prince Zuko…”

“And it’s not like I want her to like me!” Zuko interrupted. “Even though she’s honourable, brave and caring… not unpleasant looking for a Water Tribe girl, I'll give her that.” 

“ZUKO!”

Iroh fumed at how deep in dial Zuko was - honestly if he was going to lie he could at least not look like a pining, sombre hero in a romantic novel! Agni help his boy and that girl because goodness knows, they were going to need it if they ever had a chance at making things work! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The brown mush Zuko uses is called Bai Bu and it's a chinese herbal treatment used to kill lice.

**Author's Note:**

> With work, family, friends and other stuff going on - I did not have time to finish this all before bed. So have the first half and I will finish the other half later this week! :D


End file.
